Salute to Our Students: Graduate Students Going Above and Beyond during COVID-19

During these difficult times, we here at the University of Charleston, S.C. are comforted and humbled by stories of graduate students going above and beyond for the Lowcountry community. Below are a few stories that were shared with us since campus moved to a virtual setting:

Sam Norton Photo Credit: Ruta Smith, Charleston City Paper

Sam Norton, a current student in the M.S. in Environmental & Sustainability Studies program, has been working with his business Heron Farms to deliver locally-grown sea beans to those in need. The first harvest of sea bans from their new farm was donated to Butcher and Bee F&B grocery bags, as well as Community Supported Grocery’s produce boxes. These efforts help keep food on the table for those in our community affected by food insecurity, especially now during COVID-19, as well as provide residents with a means of obtaining fresh, local food products without leaving their homes. Sam feels Heron Farms’ mission of turning sea level rise into food is more important than ever right now. Supply chains are breaking and the need to grow more food closer to home using the available resources is crucial. To learn more, visit www.heronfarms.com

Colin Frazier

Kaiya McGhaw 

Graduate Hall Directors were given the difficult task of assisting students to move out of the dorms after spring break ended. Colin Frazier (M.S. Mathematical Sciences), Anna Harkins (M.A. Community Planning, Policy, & Design), Kaiya McGhaw (M.S. Environmental & Sustainability Studies), and Bond Ruggles (M.A. History) assisted the Department of Residence Life in these last minute move-out efforts, which included ensuring appropriate social distancing. Since then, they’ve been available all hours of the day to assist residents who couldn’t come back after the break gain access to critical items left behind such as medications. These students have been commended by the department for being there for their residents while balancing their own transitions in terms of coursework and other obligations.

Bond Ruggles
Photo Credit: Charleston City Paper

Anna Harkins
Photo Credit: Post & Courier

Bond Ruggles stepped up as the Graduate Hall Director for those students who were granted permission to remain on campus while they were all moved into her building. Bond has been working to maintain these students’ health and safety while providing them with any resources she can. Administrative Assistant for the Department of Residence Life stated “We are so grateful for our grads and their commitment to not only their own growth, but that of our undergrad residential students as well”.

We here at the University of Charleston, S.C. commend these students for being pillars of service for both our graduate community at the College of Charleston, but for the Charleston community as a whole. Thank you for all of your hard work, kindness, and generosity!

If you know a graduate student in the College of Charleston community who is going above and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic, please send their story to Graduate Assistant Haley Schanne (schannehj@g.cofc.edu).